


In The Flicker

by lifeincantos



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, because scott is basically the greatest, much needed pep talk, shmoops, written around episode four so no darach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-05
Updated: 2013-08-05
Packaged: 2017-12-22 13:25:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/913718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lifeincantos/pseuds/lifeincantos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When everything is too much, it's the little things that remind you that victories hide among the failures. Or; thank god for Joseph Conrad and coded messages.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In The Flicker

“Mr. McCall, can I please have a word?”

Despite the ringing bell and the bustling students, Jennifer Blake managed to cut through the noise. She was a seasoned professional, after all, and no manic bird attack or supernatural chaos was going to change the fact that she was- first and foremost- a teacher. At the sound of her voice, the student in question glanced up and froze, looking at her before shooting a glance at Stilinski. Whatever quick, whispered conversation they had resulted in a sharing of conspiratorial nods. Stilinski filed out with the rest of the crowd, but Jennifer didn’t doubt that he was lingering by the door.

Scott was slowly approaching her desk, features drawn and hesitant. She smiled gently to put him at ease, and he tentatively raised his brows in return. Her fingers lingered on his assignment for a moment before pushing it at him, and the large red A at the top was unmistakable. Scott leaned over, glanced at it, and the confusion that creased his brow deepened.

“-Is this a plagiarism thing? Because I didn’t-”

“No, Mr. McCall, it’s not.” Jennifer looked at the paper too, then nodded. Her smile grew a little brighter as she gestured for him to take it. “I was going to give these back tomorrow but I wanted you to have yours.”

“… Really?” His voice now bordered closer to hopeful than confused. He took the paper like it might dissolve if he held it too hard. A faint grin quirked at his lips as he briefly examined the fruits of his labor. “Well, uh, thanks. So it’s a… highest grade thing?”

“Not quite.”

He chuckled a little at that, clearly aware of who exactly that honor went to- and though Jennifer was new to Beacon Hills it wouldn’t faze her if he’d guessed Lydia Martin correctly. The girl was a force of nature, academic and otherwise, but Jennifer also knew that she wouldn’t surprised when she got her A+ paper back. The same way she wasn’t surprised to grade it thusly.

“Then what’s this about?” It was an understandable question on Scott’s part. She knew he hadn’t cheated, and she knew it wasn’t the only A she’d given out. She sighed, expression still soft but jaw set in a more resolute, authoritative line.

“Honestly, I just wanted to acknowledge this. This,” she nodded toward it, “Was a truly excellent paper. Strong writing, concise argument, a clear understanding of the material. It was a joy to read.”

Jennifer watched as Scott’s face lit up, eyes bright and gaze unguarded. He positively bloomed under the praise, and it was reactions like that- seeing everything fall into place, the triumph of a small victory- that reminded her why she loved her job. He looked back down at the sheets in his hand, reading the comments in red ink in the margins and picking out the underlined phrases.

“Well I did work pretty hard on it,” he replied softly, diplomatically. Jennifer nodded.

“It shows.” She let a beat of silence pass until Scott looked ready to ask another question. “I also wanted to let you know that I haven’t forgotten what you said in our first conversation, and I didn’t want you to think that I haven’t noticed how well you’re doing. The work you’re producing is all excellent, as is your class participation.”

“Oh!” Scott rubbed the back of his neck self consciously, and Jennifer detected the note of embarrassment that kept him from stringing a sentence together. She decided the save him the trouble, waving a hand gently at him.

“You don’t have to say anything. I just didn’t want to you to think I hadn’t noticed your efforts- you can leave.”

He adjusted his bag higher on his shoulder. “Thanks, Ms. Blake. Really- I meant what I said, you know.”

“I do.”

“And thanks for this.” He waved the paper at her, then turned on his heel to go. But he didn’t leave, not right away. Instead, he swallowed, and from the sliver of his profile that she could see a shadow passed over his features.

Scott was still for a few seconds. “I had rather laze about and think of all the fine things that can be done. I don’t like work – no man does – but I like what is in the work, - the chance to find yourself. Your own reality – for yourself, not for others – what no other man can ever know. They can only see the mere show, and never can tell what it really means.”

She recognized the words immediately, having read and taught Heart of Darkness plenty of times before this class. But they were strained and clipped as they fell from his lips and Jennifer was mired in confusion herself. Was he putting himself down? Thanking her more deeply? Acknowledging her own knowledge of the less-than-human plight of Beacon Hills? Warning her of his responsibility?

Still, despite all that she knew what to say in reply. She knew what she wanted to express- reassurance, belief, trust- even if McCall hadn’t asked for it. “The mind of man is capable of anything- because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there after all? Joy, fear, sorrow, devotion, valor, rage- who can tell? - but truth- truth stripped of its cloak of time.”

From her vantage point, she watched as Scott’s jaw tightened, then loosened as a soft smile lit up his features.

“And don’t forget to tell Mr. Stilinski that eavesdropping is unbecoming.”

Scott’s laughter echoed in his wake.


End file.
